Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an estimate of the additional annual cost to the Exchequer of increasing Official Development Assistance spending from 0.3 per cent to 0.7 per cent of Gross National Income in each of the next five financial years.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

At Spring Statement 2025 the Government took the decision to reduce the UK ODA budget to the equivalent of 0.3% of GNI by 2027 to fund a necessary increase in defence spending. Spending Review 2025 details departmental ODA budgets 2025/26 to 2028/29 that reflect this decision. The Government monitors future forecasts closely and will review and confirm, in accordance with the International Development (Official Development Assistance Target) Act 2015 whether a return to spending 0.7% of GNI on ODA is possible against the latest fiscal forecasts.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions her Department has had with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency on the adequacy and sustainability of the long-term system for payments for Coastguard Rescue Officers attending training and emergency call-outs.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department for Transport continues to work with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to consider in depth the options for the future of the Coastguard Rescue Service. Our priority is to ensure the service remains safe, effective and sustainable in the long term. Coastguard Rescue Officers make an extraordinary contribution across the United Kingdom, and this Government is incredibly grateful to them for their invaluable public service.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many offenders convicted of (a) rape, (b) other sexual offences against adults, (c) child sexual offences and (d) offences involving grooming are expected to be released earlier than they otherwise would have been under the Sentencing Act 2026.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

This Government inherited a prisons system days from collapse. We had no choice but to take decisive action to stop our prisons overflowing and keep the public safe. Our landmark Sentencing Act 2026 will now deliver a more sustainable solution to the prison capacity crisis we inherited, including through the progression model, which will help ensure there are always enough prison places for the courts to be able to send people to custody.

The Prime Minister’s review informed decisions relating to implementation of the progression model and subsequent offence exclusions. The Government carefully considered concerns raised by victims, survivors, parliamentarians and the wider public and acted on those concerns. Representations received from Thames Valley police, other policing stakeholders, and a range of victims including the family of PC Harper during the review formed part of the evidence considered as part of that process. Ministers continue to engage with a range of stakeholders on implementation.

As a result, offenders convicted of unlawful killing offence such as manslaughter, causing death by dangerous driving, as well as further historic child sex offences, will now be excluded, on top of rape and serious child sex offences. This also includes offenders convicted of offences involving the killing of an emergency worker. A full list of exclusions can be found here: Sentencing Act 2026 offence exclusions - GOV.UK.

These exclusions are in addition to the existing exclusion of more than 18,000 offenders serving more serious sentences.

The progression model amends release points for offenders serving Standard Determinate Sentences.

The date from which the progression model will apply, and the date of the first tranche of releases is 1 October 2026. Offenders released under the progression model will be controlled under strict licence conditions and can be recalled to custody where they breach those conditions or their risk can no longer be safely managed in the community.

We have published the modelled estimates of the volumes of offenders to be released on the first day of each tranche. Current published estimates do not identify releases from individual prisons, including HMP Isle of Wight. This information is now available at: Sentencing Act 2026 offence exclusions - GOV.UK.

Work is underway to implement the change announced, including the completion of complex sentence calculations necessary to support delivery. The Ministry of Justice also routinely publishes Accredited Official Statistics on prison population and prisoner releases as part of the Offender Management Statistics Quarterly (OMSQ) publication.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Government plans to restore Official Development Assistance spending to 0.7 per cent of Gross National Income.

Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Government is committed to returning to spending 0.7 per cent of Gross National Income on Official Development Assistance when the fiscal circumstances allow.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that Official Development Assistance spending delivers value for money and advances the United Kingdom’s economic and national security interests.

Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Official Development Assistance (ODA) is focused where it can have the greatest impact, supporting the most vulnerable and advancing our modern development approach.

To assess value for money and inform decision-making throughout the programme lifecycle, we use a mix of quantitative data and qualitative information. As part of our ODA transparency commitments, these are published to the Development Tracker website, which further supports aid effectiveness by providing information to inform other donors' spending decisions.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, whether his Department will conduct a facility by facility review of the savings proposed by the Science and Technology Facilities Council before any final decisions are taken.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

UK Research and Innovation and the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) have already undertaken an evidence-based prioritisation exercise across STFC's portfolio, and the resulting decisions have been published. The process considered a range of funding scenarios and was informed by extensive engagement with the research community, expert advisory bodies and facilities’ leadership teams. The recommendations were subsequently reviewed by the UKRI Executive Committee and approved by the UKRI Board. These decisions were reached through UKRI's established prioritisation and governance processes, drawing on expert advice. The Government therefore has no plans to undertake a separate review. The Science and Technology Facilities Council's core budget has been maintained over the Spending Review period, from £835 million in 2025/26 to £842 million in 2029/30.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of proposed funding reductions at Jodrell Bank Observatory on scientific research, national security capabilities and regional economic growth.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

I met with the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) Executive Chair, Professor Michele Dougherty, and have engaged with the UKRI Chief Executive, Sir Ian Chapman on several occasions to discuss the council’s strategic programmes and infrastructure investments. UK Research and Innovation and the STFC undertook a structured assessment of the impacts of different funding options across STFC's portfolio; considering factors including scientific excellence, long-term research impact, strategic importance to the UK, international leadership, value for money and the preservation of capabilities. To maintain the UK's long-term capability in radio astronomy, the Government continues to prioritise investment in the Square Kilometre Array Observatory, with £327 million committed between 2021 and 2030. Government investment in SKAO is bringing high-value jobs, international investment and long-term economic benefits to the Northwest and the UK.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that victims receive individual and timely notification when an offender becomes eligible for earlier release under the Sentencing Act 2026.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The Sentencing Act 2026 contains provisions which change the proportion of a standard determinate sentence which must be served in prison before the offender serving such a sentence is released automatically on licence. Eligible victims who have opted into the Probation Service Victim Contact Scheme, where the offender is serving a standard determinate sentence, have already been informed of the commencement of the legislation.

Following the Prime Minister's announcement on 30 August, offender release dates are being recalculated to reflect the additional offence exclusions. Victims engaged in the Victim Contact Scheme will be notified by their allocated Victim Liaison Officer once the recalculation has been confirmed and informed of any change to the offender's planned release date. Recalculations are being undertaken in release date order to ensure victims are notified in sufficient time to consider and submit representations regarding licence conditions before release.

Victims are able to make representations about licence conditions intended to protect them, including exclusion zones and non-contact requirements. They are informed of the outcome of decisions on licence conditions before release, including any conditions that have been imposed. Where a victim's representations are not reflected in the final licence conditions, the Victim Liaison Officer will explain the reasons for the decisions made.